Position Title: Director of Clinical Education

Reports to: Program Director

Rank: Assistant, Associate or Professor

The Director of Clinical Education is instrumental in the day-to-day operations of the Physician Assistant Program and the education of its students.   They will work closely with the Program Director and Associate Program Director to provide effective leadership and guidance to faculty and staff members involved in the clinical phase of the program.

The Director of Clinical Education position requires excellent interpersonal communication skills and organizational skills, strong leadership and teaching skills, and a collaborative style to complement a team environment. This individual must have the ability to develop effective community and institutional relationships and partners and be willing to travel to clinical sites for meetings. This position requires the individual to work collaboratively with the Program Director, Associate Program Director, Director of Didactic Education, Clinical Coordinator, and administrative staff to provide clinical education for students in the clinical phase of PA training.

This is a non-tenured track faculty position with salary and rank commensurate with qualifications. The Director of Clinical Education is expected to be on campus a minimum of 2 days per week. This will vary depending on the needs of the program.

Program administration:

The Director of Clinical Education will:

• Oversee clinical rotation placement with the support of the clinical coordinator
• Monitor and evaluate the quality of clinical experiences, seeking feedback from students, preceptors, and clinical sites.

• Verify maintenance of documentation and records related to clinical placements, preceptor qualifications, and student evaluations.
• Collaborate with Program Director (PD) and Associate Program Director (APD) to prepare reports and documentation for accreditation reviews.

• Provide guidance and support to students throughout their clinical rotations, addressing any concerns or challenges that arise.
• Facilitate orientation sessions and ongoing communication to prepare students for clinical experiences and expectations.
• Collaborate with clinical coordinator to identify students who may require remediation based on academic or clinical performance evaluations.
• Review student performance data, including grades, assessments, and feedback from faculty and preceptors, to assess areas of deficiency.
• Collaborate with the clinical coordinator to develop individualized remediation plans for students, outlining specific goals, objectives, and interventions to address identified deficiencies.
• Consult with faculty, clinical preceptors, and other stakeholders to tailor remediation plans to the unique needs and learning styles of each student.
• Monitor student progress throughout the remediation process, providing ongoing support, guidance, and feedback.

• Develop and implement training programs for clinical preceptors to ensure they are equipped to support student learning effectively.
• Foster relationships with preceptors and provide ongoing support, recognition, and appreciation for their contributions to the program.
• Collaborate with Associate PD, PD and Clinical Coordinator to develop and disseminate educational materials and resources for preceptors.

• Participate in curriculum development and revision processes to incorporate feedback and updates from clinical experiences.
• Identify opportunities to enhance the integration of clinical education with other programmatic elements.

• Collaborate with the clinical coordinator to ensure duties and responsibilities to the Program and Institution are met and all elements related to student placement are fully executed.
• Participate in updating the Student and Preceptor Handbook annually and make recommendations for updates
• Perform other essential duties and tasks, as assigned by the Program Director

Faculty responsibilities: The Director of Clinical Education will:

• Maintain knowledge of educational best practices, policy changes, and program development through attendance at professional conferences and seminars at the local, state and national organizations
• Participate in national professional and educational organization activities such as AAPA, NCCPA, PAEA, and ARC-PA.
• Prepare objectives, syllabi, lectures, and examinations for courses assigned
• Participate in physical diagnosis lab
• Attend callback days
• Participate in the summative evaluation of students
• Participate in faculty development workshops
• Be an advisor to assigned students during the first and second year
• Participate in the admissions process to include student recruitment, application review, and applicant evaluation
• Serve as a member of the curriculum and admissions committee
• Serve on departmental committees as required
• Perform other essential duties and tasks, as assigned by the Program Director

We seek a collegial individual who meets the following requirements:

1. A graduate of an accredited physician assistant program with at least a master’s degree
2. NCCPA certified and currently licensed (or eligible for licensure) as a physician assistant in Massachusetts.
3. Has at least 3 years of clinical experience as a physician assistant
4. Has a minimum of 2 years of physician assistant educational instruction experience; strong preference will be given to PA educators who have experience working in the clinical phase of PA education.
5. Ability to demonstrate strong interpersonal abilities including written and verbal communication skills, organization, problem-solving and critical decision-making abilities.
6. Has strong computer skills, including use of Word, PowerPoint, database use, and familiarity with electronic medical records.

Preference is given to individuals who:

1. Have experience with curriculum development, evaluation, and assessment
2. Have a strong understanding of accreditation standards and regulations governing clinical education in healthcare programs

To apply: please send a letter of interest and a curriculum vitae via email to: PAProgram@tufts.edu AND, go to:  http://apply.interfolio.com/154166   to submit a curriculum vitae, a cover letter, a teaching statement, a summary of teaching evaluations, and names and contact information for three professional references. Review of applications will begin September 2024 and will continue until the position is filled. 

For technical support please visit https://support.interfolio.com/ or email: help@interfolio.com or phone: 877-997-8807.

Tufts University, founded in 1852, prioritizes quality teaching, highly competitive basic and applied research, and a commitment to active citizenship locally, regionally, and globally. Tufts University has also committed to becoming an anti-racist institution and prides itself on the continuous improvement of diversity, equity and inclusion work. Current and prospective employees of the university are expected to have and continuously develop skill in, and disposition for, positively engaging with a diverse population of faculty, staff, and students.

Tufts University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. See the University’s Non-Discrimination statement and policy here https://oeo.tufts.edu/policies-procedures/non-discrimination/. If you are an applicant with a disability who is unable to use our online tools to search and apply for jobs, please contact us by calling the Office of Equal Opportunity (OEO) at 617-627-3298 or at oeo@tufts.edu. Applicants can learn more about requesting reasonable accommodations at https://oeo.tufts.edu/